Gas-producer for mechanical traction



J. WELLS. GAS PRODUCER FOR MECHANICAL TRACTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTISO, 1919- Z SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

1 1 llllllll I J. WtLLS.

GAS PRODUCER FOR MECHANICAL TRACTION.

APPLICATION FILED SH"!- 30, 1919.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lid

a hi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WELLS; Oil CAIRO, EGYPT.

ens-neoprene ron MECHANICAL rancrron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Application filed September 30, 1919. Serial No. 327,441.

water vapor mingled with the requisite quantity of air.

' Inorder to provide a gas producer suitable for use on motor vehicles for the pro duction of producer or water gas for use as fuel in lieu of petrol or kerosene, I construct a rectangular form of producer and in l1eu of the usual grate I provide a water twyer either with or without a grate. In some cases instead of employing a vaporizer head,

I depend for the necessary vapor for admixture with the necessary air, on the vapor arising from the heat extracted in the cool-. in%of the water twyer.

y the adoption of my form of water twyer, together with a system of air induction by utilizing the exhaust pressure of the engine, I am able to operate my producer either as a suction producer or a pressure producer or a producer operating in equil'ibrium.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 3 a plan of a gas producer constructed according to this invention.

In the accompan' ing drawing A is the rectangular body 0 the producer normally built of wrought steel plates, the side plates being indicated by B, the end plates by E. A cover plate C closes the top of the body A and thereon is fitted a hopper D for containing a supply of fuel. At one end of the producer are provided two water twyers E connected with a double air inlet F, fur

ther connected with an injector .G which in jector is operated by a jet H, operated from the exhaust of the engine and drawing air in over the surface of-water in a tank I, which is connected by pi es J to the water twyers EE. The tank fie also provided 56 with an air'inlet pipe K drawing hot air from the first of the gas coolers (not shown in the drawing). The feed hopper D is fitted with a rod and a conical feed cone L operated from the top ofthe hopper D by a rod M and the hopper D is also provided with a feed door'N for the admission of fuel when the hopper is empty.

In the base of the body A there is provided a grate or shutter 0 together with a discharge door P for the discharge of ashes. On the distributer piece 1: is a connection Q of a fan providing the air necessary for 7 starting the producer before the engine com-- mences to operate and provide the necessary pressure in the injector H for the requisite supply of air from the water twyers E. The gas ofitake is provid atR through which the gas provided n he producer is led to suitable cooling and cleaning apparatus (not shown in the drawing) before being led to the engine. The shell or body A is provided with a fire brick lining S and with a fire or cleaning door T Having now briefly described the general construction of my proposed gas generator for the provision of gas to engines or motor lorries, cars and tractors, I will describe the general operation thereof.

The watertwyers E and havin been fitted in position and coupled u with the air and vapor surface injector and the tion and at. a point on the gas takeoff R an opening is made to the atmosphere, then by operating the fan attached at Q, a current of air is made to ass from the two twyers to the interior o the producer and as the fire becomes well alight the producer is filled full up to the bottom of the cone U.

In a few minutes the conditions of the producer are such as to produce ordinary socalled producer gas.

The gas outlet R heretofore open to air is V closed and the gas allowed to pass from the gas cooling and cleaning apparatus to the engine. As soon as the engine is started up the bypass from the exhaust thereof to the injector H is opened and the producer now operates under (2') suction from the engine or (ii) under pressure due to the in ector connection of the injector H. Hereafter the producer may be regulated in regard to the production of gas by the pressure created by the opening of the exhaust bypass.

s the producer becomes hot and the water in the twyer irons heats up, vapor is created in the tank I and this vapor mixed with the hot air incoming at K is forced by the injector H from the branch pipe F to the two twyer irons according to the richness and quantity of gas required for the proper functioning of the engine. The hopper'D in the meantime is charged and the valve L opened so that the fuel from the hopper D passes automatically into the body of the furnace or producer in proportion to the rapidity with which the fuel therein is used. For the purpose of stopping the producer the injector H is put out of action by cutting off the supply of pressure from the engine exhaust and a sultable valve on the gas ofltake R is opened to permit free passage of the gas into the. air.

' The twyers are for supplying air for supporting combustion, and to prevent overheating they are cooled with the aid of water. The water which has thus become heated rises into the tank and the vapor which is produced by the heated Water is mixed with the air supply.

In the operation of the producer the clearance of ashes is efi'ected by movement of the slide or grate 0 allowing the ashes to pass into the ash hopper V, the discharge from thence being efi'ected by the opening of the door, P.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is v 1. For use on a self-propelled vehicle, a gas producer comprising a producer chamber, water cooled twyers at the base of said chamber, an air supply pipe to said twyers, a tank for supplying water to cool said twyers, means for circulating water between said tank and around said twyers, an air inlet to said tank above the water level, and means for opening and closing communication between the air space in said tank and the air supply pipe, substantially as herein described.

2. For use on a self-propelled vehicle, a gas producer comprising a producer chamber, oppositely disposed rows of twyers at the base of said chamber, a breeches pipe for conveying air to said rows of twyers, a valve-controlled air inlet in said breeches pipe, a tank for supplying water to cool said twyers, means for circulating water between said tank and around said twyers, an air inlet to said tank above the water level, a pipe connection between the air space in said tank and said breeches pipe, and an injector in said pipe connection, substantially as herein described.

3. For use on a self-propelled vehicle, a gas producer comprising a producer chamher, a slidable grate at the bottom of said chamber, water cooled twyers at the base of said chamber, an air supply pipe to said twyers, a tank for supplying water to cool said twyers, means for circulating water between said tank and around said twyers, an air inlet to said tank above the water level, and means for opening and closing communication between the air space in said tank and the air supply pipe, substantially as herein described.

4. In a gas producer for use on a selfpropelled vehicle, the combination with a producer chamber having a slidable grate at the bottom thereof, a fuel hopper at the top thereof and valve controlled means for supplying fuel from said hopper to said chamber, of water cooled twyers at the base of said chamber, an air supply pipe to said twyers, a tank for supplying water to cool said twyers, means for circulating water between said tank and around said twyers, an air inlet to said tank above the water level, and means for opening and closing communication between the air space in said tank and'the air supply pipe, substantially as herein described.

JOHN WELLS. 

